My 2C1R and her husband showed us around Trondheim today. Walking around the town and taking in the sights and a few museums as well as spending some time visiting family.
We visited the Nidaros Cathedral. This church is built on the burial place of St Olav – the Viking king who became Norway’s saint. According to the story, he set out to turn the country into a Christian Kingdom and unite it under one king – himself of course.
The king of Denmark took over the country in 1028 and Olav fled to the Kingdom of Garda. He returned a couple of years later to try to win it back but was killed in battle. He was buried near where the church was and apparently people who came to the grave were cured and had miracles happen. When they dug him up and opened his coffin he looked exactly the same, but his hair and nails had grown; this meant he must be a saint.
The cathedral itself was gorgeous including two organs, one of which has over 9,000 pipes and send music throughout the church – the original surround sound.
In 1531 and again in the 18th century fires destroyed the church. Rebuilding it is an ongoing project. One of the sculptors re-creating the statues did not like heights and his wife would climb up to measure. She is given her right to posterity in the ladder on the base of the statue.
Later we visited the Medieval Museum. The highlight was the Kuli stone which was carved in the 1000s and is considered the first time “Norway” was used. So they call it Norway’s birth (or baptismal) certificate.
They also had a rendering of the medieval woman that had been found in archeological diggings of the city.
The evening found us in the Egan restaurant with K’s family. A rotating restaurant with beautiful views over the city. Both the views and the company were excellent.
It doesn’t really get dark here, so on the way back to the hotel we were able to have a quick visit to the Kristiansten Fortress which was build after the great town fire in 1681. It is Norway’s best preserved tower fortress from the 17th century.
I leave you with just a few more photos from our walk around town today (look closely at the picture of weeds – it’s actually baby birds).